Dealing with Sensory Overload due to ADHD

hi! i was recently diagnosed with ADHD and what i have found helps me the most ( with sensory stuff, i mean ) is finding a way to communicate with whoever you are with so that you can tell them, whether verbally or nonverbally, how are feeling and figuring out what would best help you. i have a system with my friend: they ask, what is overwhelming right now? then, is there anything i can do to help? then, what can you do to help yourself? also maybe have some techniques like the 5-4-3-2-1 method for anxiety/sensory stuff but focus on the pleasant stims around you, or carry sensory-safe headphones/wear sensory-safe clothes. ooh also! find a stim toy or a favourite stim that you just love, and use that to let your brain know, hey, its okay, we’re okay :)

I can relate to that on a smaller scale like when I’m trying to focus on driving and there’s music playing and someone talking to me in the passenger seat and the ac is on I just need to turn everything off for a second or else I get really stressed out and irritable

Literally SAME! I thought it was ASD because three of my siblings have it and I also struggle with social stuff. But apparently it was a combination of ADHD and anxiety. I was just diagnosed like last month so I don’t have a ton of advice. I’m mostly here to say I relate and you’re not alone 🤗 But here are some things I do to help: I always wear my ConqueRing. It spins and clicks and I got the one with braille on it so I could feel the texture when I get overwhelmed. I always carry Loop earbuds in a little case attached to my keychain to put in my ears when the sound is too much. I often wear sunglasses and/or a hat with a brim for the light. Staring at a corner is a good way to ground you. It’s very stabilizing and can bring you back to reality when you’re freaking out. Doodling or scribbling is amazing. When I’m mad and want to lash out, I break crayons and scribble as hard as possible then crumple and tear it out and then rearrange it into a beautiful mosaic. That way, you are not bottling out aggressive energy and not taking it out on family/friends. Then you make the anger or frustration into something beautiful.